B&W 8x10 landscapes of Mayan ruins in Cancun

[hugo_j._zhang1]

I am going on a 3-day trip to Cancun this Oct. I need to decide if I want to bring my 8x10 Deadorff with me for the Mayan ruins. My main concerns are crowds, light conditions and logistics. Any comments and suggestions are welcom. Thanks in advance. Hugo

[ellis_vener_photography]

I take it you are referring to the famous sites south of Cancun? If

so you definitely need to get a photography permit from the

Mexican goverment's federal department of Archaeology.

Tripods are not permitted by the local curators / gatekeepers

without a permit. The story I got was that about fifteen or twenty

years ago a crew came in and filmed scenes that ended up

being used in a hardcore porn film. To make it easier to explain

to the guards what to keep out they were told to ban all cameras

that needed tripods. The people in Quintana Roo are mostly

Mayan Ruta and they take their heritage seriously and paying a

"fee" on the spot was strongly rebuffed, I don't have experience

with the pyramids but if you are only going to be there for three

days I doubt you'll have enough time to see those ruins as well,

at least not to shoot seriously.

[brian_ellis3]

Some years ago I spent a week in the Yucatan Peninsula, based in

Merida, mostly touring Mayan ruins. I should know, but don't, whether

Cancun is anywhere near there and whether the ruins you are talking

about are those that I may have visited from the Merida area. Anyhow,

FWIW, photographing the well known sites such as Chichen Itza and

Uxmal would be difficult because of the hordes of people that swarm

all over those places but not impossible, particularly if you were

interested more in architectural details rather than broad vistas.

There also are smaller, less well known, ruins (e.g. Sayil, Kabah,

and Labna) that would be very feasible to photograph because not too

many people visit them. I did some reading on the ruins before I left

to find the lesser known ones and then hired a driver/guide because

the usual tour buses don't go there. I took hundreds of photographs

and was never hassled or questioned by any one. I didn't have a

permit and was never asked for one, but I wasn't using an 8x10 camera

so I wasn't very conspicuous and perhaps I wasn't in the areas where

a permit is needed.

[jason_j.]

Yes, I went to Tulum near Cancun a couple years ago and they wouldn't

let me take in a tripod. Luckily my cab driver was honest and nice

so I left it with him when I was shooting medium format. They said

you DO need a special permit to do so. I didn't ask any more than

that. You can go during the off season for tourists and get there

extra early to help avoid crowds. Or shoot with a long exposure and

use the blur of moving figures to enhance the photo. There are a lot

of options, but very few will be without people completely. The

ruins get busy and stay busy. They get hot too! Bring some water

with you!

[gwrhino]

I know a photographer that got busted for sneaking in to get a few

shots. I'm not sure, but I think it was Tulum. Cost him a

lot......They take the tripod ban very seriously.......

 

<p>

 

George

http://georgestocking.com

[scott bacon]

Tulum definitely has permit restrictions on tripods (as mentioned in

the above posts). It is also a very popular "day trip" for those

vacationing in Cancun, Cozumel and cruise ships in port. So you get

crowds of people at mid-day. The best way to avoid the crowds is to

be there right when they open - that was 9:00am when I visited 4

years ago (check with the park).

The above holds true for Chichen Itza also.

Another possibility is Coba (about 35 miles Norhtwest of Tulum - into

the interior). This is a much less developed park - yet just as

spectacular, in its own way. Much of the ruins are not fully

excavated from the jungle. You walk dirt paths, under the cover of

the jungle, from ruin to ruin, usually totally alone. Since it is a

national park, I'm sure the same tripod restrictions probably exist,

but they are not as strictly enforced. For myself, I would still get

a permit for tripod use, but I would expect less hassle at Coba than

at Tulum. You shouldn't have a problem with crowds of tourists at

Coba (unless things have changed drastically in the last few years).

But you might want to rent your own car to get there. Check out the

Lonely Planet book "La Ruta Maya" for more logistical details -

that's how I found it.

Unfortunately, I was only shooting 35mm when I last visited Quintana

Roo. Next time I will definitely take my 4x5 - even if it requires

arranging permits before-hand. It is an incredible area.

[karl_french]

I can recomend Coba as well. I went there 2 years ago on my

honeymoon. Very beautiful, not many people. Actually we went through

a local tour outfit that the resort we were stay at arrainged. I

don't know about the tripod permit, i just had a 35mm with me at the

time.

[alex_weiner1]

I was at the Mayan Ruins in Tulum in January and was prohibited from

carrying my tripod with me. I was shooting medium format and was able

to come away with some good shots in spite of the hordes of tourists.

Alex